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Gifting A Fountain Pen...


Cezza

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Hey guys!

 

Christmas is coming up and, being the guy I am, I decided to gift some people some fountain pens (Baoer, Jinhao, Pilot MR's etc.), seeing as they know I'm "The Fountain Pen guy" and have shown some interest in the hobby.

 

My question to you is: have you ever gifted a fountain pen (particularly to newbies) and what was their reaction to it?

 

Hope to spread some Christmas cheer (even though it's technically still November :lol: )!

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I gifted my daughter a couple of fountain pens for graduating from law school. Both of them skip and need to be serviced. I've written with them, so I know that the problem is not the paper or her writing style. If you gift one, I strongly suggest that you write with it first to make sure it's at least properly tuned for you.

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If you gift one, I strongly suggest that you write with it first to make sure it's at least properly tuned for you.

 

I give away Pilot Varsities at ever opportunity, and when I buy a package, I test them and align the tines / smooth the nib if it's needed so that whoever I give them to will have a positive impression of fountain pens. I also give them a mini notepad of quality paper (Apica with the last round, Rhodia found on sale for the first round) - again, so they'll get a positive impression. :)

 

I gave many to people at work, and I don't see them writing with them, but no one turned me down (I offered as sort of "if you want it" kind of thing), and when I jokingly said I was going to take one back from my boss and give it to someone else, he very firmly insisted that no, it was his pen. :)

 

For my next giveaway, I plan to try the Thornton disposables.

 

ETA: Actually, I have seen one guy writing with a Jinhao x750 I gave him, and it seemed like it had become a pretty normal thing for him.

Edited by LizEF
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My question to you is: have you ever gifted a fountain pen (particularly to newbies) and what was their reaction to it?

yep I like the Sonnet lookalike to get unsuspecting people addicted... ;)

 

I've bought a decent number which I'd floss & hone to get them writing sweetly.

 

The range of my results from seeding efforts include:-

 

1, gave one to a fellow geeky engineer... who left it on his home desk, the wife saw it & commandeered it... now gets used to write grocery lists (that he goes shopping for) :P

 

2, gave a pair to Best Man's sons (who at least are Rightys, unlike their Lefty daddy), they were rapt. I hear at least 1 pen got left in pants pocket & went thru the washer... heh luckily Waterman ink fill didn't stain the whole load :) mum got sent out to buy more ink, last I heard

 

3, gave one to engineer cousin, knew he liked finer things in life but never seen him use FP. Discovered he had a Visconti on the shelf still in its box... :)

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Well I'll be gifting my sister a fountain pen this Christmas. She's used a Safari before although she wants a slightly higher quality one. I hope to get her a Lamy LX in Rose Gold with a F nib,I've heard that the LX isn't much better than the Safari for the price so I may try to find another pen in Rose Gold. She really likes rose gold..

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It would be great to know how you guys fine tune (align, smooth, floss, hone) these things before you give them away. Based on a recommendation in another thread, I've ordered a loupe so that I can begin the journey of learning how to identify and possibly even correct some problems with nibs. As I posted earlier, at least to me it seems like a bad idea to gift a fountain pen that doesn't write well, particularly a disposable one.

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It would be great to know how you guys fine tune (align, smooth, floss, hone) these things before you give them away. Based on a recommendation in another thread, I've ordered a loupe so that I can begin the journey of learning how to identify and possibly even correct some problems with nibs. As I posted earlier, at least to me it seems like a bad idea to gift a fountain pen that doesn't write well, particularly a disposable one.

 

With my gifts (this year: a Baoer 100, Jinhao 159 and 2 Pilot MR's), I follow this procedure:

 

1 - check for misalignment of the tines with a loupe and correct using fingers to manipulate them

2 - ink them up (Waterman black) and write, identifying scratchiness in any direction. I also rotate the nib slightly both ways to compensate for how they hold the pen

3 - onto micromesh (8000-12000 grit) and mylar paper to smooth out the nib.

4 - final write and then back into boxes, inking them up just before wrapping couple days before presenting.

5 - (if they're really interested) throw in a couple ink samples I've made up to allow them to experiment :)

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Given lots away and reactions have varied. Most I simply never hear from again. One contacted me and said he was moving and selling the pen to help defray moving costs. One sent me a beautiful letter written with the pen. Several, particularly younger folk, seem to have adopted them with all the enthusiasm that is the trait of the young. Whether that lasted longer than other new experiences I really don't know but at least for awhile it was a "WoW!" moment.

 

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Yes, several times generally with good initial results. On follow up, some are still users and some have fallen by the wayside and put the pen aside. We do what we can to infect the younger generation!

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I have also given fountain pens to quite a few people. In my case, the young people have been less likely to continue to use the pens, because they do virtually all their writing on the computer and find it onerous to write with a pen regularly just to keep the ink from drying out. Several of the older recipients take notes or write drafts with pen and ink; they have tended to keep using the fountain pens I give them.

 

I usually give either a medium-point Pilot pen (because in my experience they have always worked well immediately), or a vintage pen from a dealer who guarantees the pen and will make any necessary adjustments. Among vintage pens, I have found a Parker 45 to be a good choice for a person who has never used a fountain pen.

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I gave my wife a pen last year that I had inscribed for her. It was a 'just because' gift for her.

 

I have been thinking a putting a Pelikan Pelikano student pen in my 13 year old grandson's Christmas stocking.

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Yup, done that.

 

If you choose carefully, some pens will impress the recipient all out of proportion to the cost of the pen.

Example, a black and gold Baoer 388, a $7 pen on eBay, looks just like a $100+ Parker Sonnet. And it looks GOOD. This is one of my favorite pens to give to someone.

 

BUT, make sure the pen WORKS WELL, so that they have a good writing experience. If the pen does not write well, they will have a bad experience, and then have a bad impression of fountain pens. You will have to ink the pen to test it, then adjust the nib as needed. Basically you are doing the final QC work that should have been done at the factory. This is because some of the lower cost pens have poor QC. Example, of the Baoer 388 pens that I have gifted, on average, 4 out of 5 pens NEEDED to have the nib adjusted, just to get the ink to flow decently.

 

Also include a package of ink cartridges, or at least 2 cartridges, so they can start to write immediately. Always an issue is what color ink; blue, black, or both? Blue is generally a safe choice. I have sometimes given pens pre-inked, to avoid the issue of having to wait MANY minutes for the ink to flow from the cartridge down to the nib.

 

That brings up another point. For the new fountain pen users, give them a CARTRIDGE pen. This is an easier and cleaner way to start into fountain pens. Many people have the incorrect impression that fountain pens are messy to refill, so avoid the bottle ink, for the newbies. If they are experienced fountain pens users, then you can branch out to converter, piston, or other fill mechanisms that use bottle ink.

 

I gave my sister-in-law a desk pen set for Christmas last year. It was perfect for her desk at the office. Desk pens are nice, but the recipient needs to have a desk/table to put it on, at work or at home, so they don't work for many people.

 

And finally, give them a card with the URL of places like the Goulet's Pens 101, so that they can learn how to take care of their pen. That was something that I never learned when I used fountain pens in grade school through college. And URLs of places to get more ink.

 

gud luk

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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Most of my people are casual / occasional fountain pen users. We were all raised to write with a light touch. I read, here, much about the TWSBI Diamond 530. When the Diamond 540 was introduced, I pre-ordered one. Delighted, I ordered a half dozen for gifts. They were well-received, and I till get letters from a couple of the people, written in fountain pen. Very satisfying choice.

 

You might consider, thorough flushing, test inking and writing, and clean flushing, before giving the pen.

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Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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It would be great to know how you guys fine tune (align, smooth, floss, hone) these things before you give them away. Based on a recommendation in another thread, I've ordered a loupe so that I can begin the journey of learning how to identify and possibly even correct some problems with nibs. As I posted earlier, at least to me it seems like a bad idea to gift a fountain pen that doesn't write well, particularly a disposable one.

A loupe is an excellent start. Here is a good primer from one of the masters. Good luck.

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It would be great to know how you guys fine tune (align, smooth, floss, hone) these things before you give them away. Based on a recommendation in another thread, I've ordered a loupe so that I can begin the journey of learning how to identify and possibly even correct some problems with nibs. As I posted earlier, at least to me it seems like a bad idea to gift a fountain pen that doesn't write well, particularly a disposable one.

 

There are MANY threads on aligning, adjusting and smoothening the nib.

The main thing is to have patience, be careful, and to do things a little at a time.

When you smoothen/buff you are REMOVING tipping material, and that is a one-way street. Once removed, you can't put it back.

 

You did right, with the loupe. You can't work on the nib if you can't see the problem.

Next is to get a bunch of CHEAP pens or junkers to practice nib adjustments. Because you WILL damage nibs as you learn to adjust them. That is the tuition of learning.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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If you choose carefully, some pens will impress the recipient all out of proportion to the cost of the pen.

Example, a black and gold Baoer 388, a $7 pen on eBay, looks just like a $100+ Parker Sonnet. And it looks GOOD. This is one of my favorite pens to give to someone.

 

BUT, make sure the pen WORKS WELL, so that they have a good writing experience. If the pen does not write well, they will have a bad experience, and then have a bad impression of fountain pens. You will have to ink the pen to test it, then adjust the nib as needed. Basically you are doing the final QC work that should have been done at the factory. This is because some of the lower cost pens have poor QC. Example, of the Baoer 388 pens that I have gifted, on average, 4 out of 5 pens NEEDED to have the nib adjusted, just to get the ink to flow decently.

Yup the black 388 was my first pick for gifting; only better/nicer is the blue streaked 388 ;) but that can be slightly harder to find at times.

 

I buy a bunch every so often; when I get bench time I process them all & they'll be ready to go.

 

Also include a package of ink cartridges, or at least 2 cartridges, so they can start to write immediately. Always an issue is what color ink; blue, black, or both? Blue is generally a safe choice.

Why play safe? :)

 

I usually fill them with a turquoise! :D & that's for the guys

 

Hey if you're wanting to WOW your recipient, dreary blue or black ain't gunna cut it.

 

Biggest hook for FPs addiction imho is the big colour range of our inks.

 

I fill 'em but I don't give extra carts or the bottle ;) when the tank runs dry I tell 'em to go visit local pen shop, one who's got 50+ colours of Diamine, full range of Watermans, most of the Iroshizukus... hehehehe

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Why play safe? :)

 

I usually fill them with a turquoise! :D & that's for the guys

 

Hey if you're wanting to WOW your recipient, dreary blue or black ain't gunna cut it.

 

Biggest hook for FPs addiction imho is the big colour range of our inks.

 

I fill 'em but I don't give extra carts or the bottle ;) when the tank runs dry I tell 'em to go visit local pen shop, one who's got 50+ colours of Diamine, full range of Watermans, most of the Iroshizukus... hehehehe

 

Turquoise . . . hmmm. I like that, an unexpected nice color ink ;)

 

Then they are going to call me asking where to get turquoise cartridges, the original being one which I syringe loaded.

Edited by ac12

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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yep I am sending out two fps to users all ready but they were asking about the chineese pens and im giving each one of them one and two vials of ink for them to try and I hope they like them . Im sure it will be a total shock to them to get these pens LOL .

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